


Chaperoning

by dontcallmeeds



Category: IT (2017)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-02-16
Packaged: 2019-03-19 06:31:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13698816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontcallmeeds/pseuds/dontcallmeeds
Summary: When dragged into chaperoning an elementary school dance by their friends, Richie Tozier and Eddie Kaspbrak try to make the best of it. But there's something between the two they can't hide, and the other boys are determined to get them together one way or another (and hopefully get some money out if it).





	Chaperoning

       There were a million different ways Richie Tozier could have spent his saturday evening, but this was not how he had imagined it. He sat at a table in a big building that Derry used to have parties. It was an old building, with bathrooms underground and a large stage which was, for now, off limits. He didn’t know why he agreed to chaperone this stupid dance, but his friends had some idea. If you had asked him, Bill Denbrough would have said quite clearly and without doubt, _Eddie Kaspbrak signed up to be a chaperone. You can put two and two together._ Most of the Losers had put it together already, but alas, Eddie and Richie were still two idiots fumbling around in the dark, completely and utterly clueless. Stan, Bill, and Ben, which were the other 3 volunteers, had a mission to set the two up by the end of the night, and all 3 were determined to make it happen. Stan even had money bet on it.

        Richie, of course, didn’t even see it coming.

        He sat, and waited for someone he didn’t even know he was waiting for. He listened to stupid music which he had never heard before while he waited for _him_ to show up. Him, of course, was Eddie Kaspbrak, who surprisingly showed up fashionably late to the dance. He gave an excuse as soon as he stumbled in, claiming it was because his mother didn’t like all the bodies, all the germs, that were going to fill the room in a matter of minutes. Eddie knew, deep down, that the real reason he was late was because he wanted to look his best for someone. He almost forgot who it was all for until he walked in and saw Richie’s grin. It was for Richie. Of course.

       “Well look who finally decided to show up!” Richie claimed. Stan rolled his eyes.

       “Richie, you’re late to everything," Stan argued.

       “Am not!”

       “Are too!”

       “Well, I’m here,” Eddie said, kind of disappointed that Richie was already arguing with Stan as soon as he arrived. What did he think he was going to get, a big compliment and a kiss on the lips? Richie gave him a once-over, and he couldn’t help but let out a little compliment. He walked up and lightly grabbed the collar of his shirt.

       “Dang, Eds, you clean up nice!”

      “My _name_ is Eddie,” Eddie stated like a broken record. Richie walked up to him and grabbed his cheeks, but Eddie wasn’t surprised. Unlike Richie, he could see Richie’s moves from a mile away.

      “Cute, cute, _cute!_ ”

      “Come on, Rich,” Eddie said, pulling away. Bill and the others just gave each other a look. They were idiots, they all agreed. Completely oblivious. “The kids are about to come in.”

      “We weren’t _doing_ anything,” Richie claimed. “Trust me, they’d know if we were.”

      Eddie was blushing. _Stop. Stop that!_

      “Welllllllll,” Stan said, not wanting to interrupt, “we are in charge of snacks.”

      “Great!” Eddie said, trying to avoid Richie, “I’ll, uh, be in charge of chips I guess?”

      “Oh,” Bill started, “we also h-have to do b-b-bathroom duty when we see a group of kids going in the b-bathroom.”

      “Why, are they going to do drugs or something?” Ben asked, laughing.

      “If they are, I’ll join them,” Richie joked. Eddie punched his arm. “Ow! I was kidding!” Eddie rolled his eyes. Eddie plopped himself in a seat by Bill, who was still chuckling. “I’ll be in charge of whatever, I don’t care.”

      “Why don’t you, uh, help Eddie with the chips?” Ben contributed, looking over at Stan with a smirk.

      “Nah, chips are lame. Is there any pizza?”

      “I’m in charge of pizza,” Stan said, “I think that I can handle it, but chips, man, _chips_ is definitely a two man job.” Ben stifled a laugh. “Ben, I’m serious, stop--stop laughing, Ben.” Ben tried, but he couldn’t help but laughing. It was so completely obvious what they were doing, but their pathetic attempt to hide it was what got Ben going.

      “See, Eddie’s got it covered.”

      “Okay, Richie,” Bill said, “you can be in charge of g-g-getting the kids to dance.”

      “Now _that_ is a good job, Billiam. See you losers on the dance floor.” Richie turned around and his flannel flew against him as he walked toward the dance floor.

      “Those kids are gonna be _so_ freaked out,” Stan said. “Just imagine that you’re, how old are these kids, ten? Nine? Well, imagine you’re nine years old and _Richie Tozier_ waltzes up to you and tells you to dance with this other kid you barely even know, I mean, that would be traumatic.” The boys were laughing hysterically at this point as they watched Richie do just that, pulling two kids together and dancing weirdly to the tune of really terrible music. “I’d have post traumatic stress disorder from that ordeal.” Stan always did that, he always liked to say all of the words from acronyms. _Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. National Aeronautics and Space Administration._ Those were some of his favorites.

       “I’d just g-go ahead and leave,” Bill stated.

       “Or get some of the bathroom drugs,” Ben guffawed. As they laughed, a kid walked up to them and asked for food. As the Losers started handing out food, Eddie couldn’t help but watch as Richie failed miserably to help the kids get in the spirit; if anything, Richie just freaked them out and made them not want to dance even more. Eddie laughed, and didn’t realize until the third time Bill snapped in his face, saying that the kid wanted a bag of chips.

       Richie wasn’t doing very well with his dancing, either. It was hard to dance on your own, especially if you’re trying to impress 4th and 5th graders. He just kind of bobbed to the music and watched as little kids stood around and made awkward small talk. This was going horribly. Richie looked over at Eddie, and they made eye contact for just a split second before Eddie gave a kid a bag of chips.

       He needed a dance partner, that’s what he needed. He strolled over to Eddie’s station while he took his fingers through his unruly hair. He put his hands on the table.

       “Eds, I need some help out there.”

      “I can’t, Rich, I have two left feet.”

      “Everyone can _dance,_ ” Richie said, his hip swaying to the side. “You’ve just gotta _feel_ the music.” Eddie took a deep breath, but then loud music started playing that caught all of their attention. “Oh, it’s the chicken dance.” He sounded a bit disappointed.

      “Yes! Let’s gooooooooo!” Stan jumped up from his seat and ran to the dance floor. “Guys, this is my jam, come on!”

      “Your _jam?”_ Bill asked, watching as his boyfriend pulled him to the dance floor.

      “Don’t judge me, Bill Denbrough. Shut up and dance.”

      The next thing they knew, Bill, Stan, Richie, and Eddie were all hooked at each other’s elbows, circling around, and doing the chicken dance. It was hilarious not knowing who they were going to end up with next, but it made Richie happiest when he was dancing with Eddie. At first, Eddie looked like he was dreading doing such a stupid dance in front of all the children, but after a while he softened, and it made him laugh when he saw Richie clapping to the music. The children watched and laughed as the 4 of them danced around like idiots, but none of them noticed the staring. They all just laughed and danced like no one was watching. It was like it was just the four of them.

      Until a group of 5th graders walked into the boys bathroom.

      “Uh oh,” Ben said, “Bathroom duty.”

      “I’ll go,” Bill volunteered. “Stan, wanna come with?” Stan nodded.

      “Don’t make out the whole time,” Richie joked.

      Stan scoffed.

      “Of course not, it’s disgusting in there.”

      Bill grabbed Stan’s hand and dragged him to the bathroom. Richie looked over at Eddie.

      “I’m going to go request an _actually_ good song.”

     Richie ran up to the DJ and requested the best song he could think of, the only one that was not only child friendly but one of his favorites. He looked back at Eddie and grinned as he walked back to him.

      “What did you request?”

      “You’ll see. Do you want to dance?”

      Richie motioned toward the dance floor.

      “What did you _request?”_

      Eddie didn’t want to dance to something ridiculous.

      “Don’t worry, Eds, it’s a good one.”

      Eddie rolled his eyes.

      “Okay, fine.”

      Richie grabbed his hand to pull him onto the dance floor, and Eddie swore his heart skipped a beat. What was this? He always knew he had something deep down for Richie, but now? He wasn’t even sure what this was. Before he knew it, a familiar song started playing throughout the large building, and as soon as Richie heard the first few beats, it was like it was just the two of them dancing.

 

_It’s gonna take a lot to take me away from you_

_There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do_

_I bless the rains down in Africa_

_Gonna take some time to do the things we never had_

 

       Was Eddie surprised? No. But it didn’t matter anymore. Richie looked at him in a way he had never had before, and it made the experience so much greater. He felt like he couldn’t hear the bustling of the children around them, and he couldn’t see the small boys chasing each other. He could only hear Africa, he could only see Richie, and the only thing he felt was an electricity, a pull to Richie that he never felt before.

 

_It’s gonna take a lot to take me away from you_

_There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do…._

 

       Richie sang the lyrics out loud, but Eddie felt like he was singing it directly to him. Was this some kind of declaration? The force between them kept pulling them closer until Eddie could feel Richie’s ragged breath on his face. The beat of the drums felt like they kept getting louder with every step they took. Ben held his breath behind the table as he watched them...he knew he was definitely going to win this bet. He could already feel the $20 in his pocket! He just watched as the two got closer, and closer, and closer, until--

       “Alright everybody, time for the dance competition!”

       The song was over, and now the two of them just stood awkwardly in front of each other before Eddie split, heading toward the bathroom.

       “Eds, wait!”

       Richie wanted to run after him, but one of the teachers in charge of the dance instructed him to come judge the dance competition. Richie just stood, not focusing on the children whatsoever. He could only think of Eddie. What was going through his mind? Did he feel the same way he did? Did he feel his heart beating out of his chest the way he did? Maybe he didn’t. Maybe that’s why he ran away.  

       Ben knew he had to take immediate action. This was his shot to win the bet once and for all. He had to make sure _Richie_ was the one who initiated their relationship. He knew he might have to take some drastic measures, but the happiness of his friends and the $20 he needed to buy the new New Kids on the Block album was worth it.

       “Uh, Richie?” Richie was still focused on the kids. “Richie!”

       “Huh?” Richie looked over at his friend, who had a weird grin on his face.

       “Uh, bathroom duty.”

       “Oh.”

       Richie stood for a second, then smiled at Ben. “You’re a good man, Hanscom.” Ben smiled as Richie raced toward the bathroom.

  

       “Eddie?”

       Richie skipped down the stairs to the bathroom, and saw Eddie sitting against the wall with his knees pressed to his chest. “Eds.” Eddie didn’t even look up. He knew who it was.

       “I told you not to call me that.”

       “We both know I’m never going to stop.”

       Richie leaned against the brick wall, crossing his arms and watching as Eddie finally lifted his head to look at him.

       “What are you doing down here, anyway?”

       Richie motioned to the empty room with no children in sight.

       “Bathroom patrol, obviously.”

       Eddie chuckled. “I like it when you laugh.”

       Richie had been flirtatious before, but it wasn’t until now that Eddie realized he was actually being serious. It was like he had _finally_ seen the light in the darkness. “Really, I can’t think of a single thing I don’t like about you, Eds.” Richie was being bold; he didn’t notice his hands were shaking uncontrollably.

       “Richie—”

       “Look, I’m just going to say it before I change my mind.” Richie sighed. “I’ve got the hots for you.” Eddie laughed and rolled his eyes. “I have since the moment I saw you, and I know that’s super, _super_ cheesy—and you’re probably lactose intolerant too—but it’s true and I’m not sorry.” Richie stood with his hands in his pockets as Eddie looked up into his eyes. Eddie stood and grabbed Richie’s trembling hands.

       “Richie,” Eddie started, “you drive me... _insane.”_ Richie felt his head droop. “But I’ve got the hots for you too, you dummy.” Richie’s whole face perked up. He smiled, teeth completely out, and Eddie grabbed his face to pull to his lips. Richie wrapped his arms around Eddie’s waist as their bodies connected. He knew all about the other guys’ bets, and he felt bad that Ben wasn’t getting his $20, but damn was Eddie hot right now.

       “Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh” was what interrupted them. They separated as quickly as they had come together, and saw a little kid staring right at them, and two more kids followed.

       “Fuck.”

        _“Richie!”_

Richie grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the bathroom.

       “Let’s get out of here!” As they ran, Richie looked over at the guys who sat staring at them as they ran by. “It was him, not me!” The two laughed as they ran out the front doors, not looking back at all the teachers and students who sat in complete silence for a second.

       “Shit.”

       The three boys looked at each other and started laughing; at that point the bet barely mattered. Those two idiots were finally together and they were glad the sexual tension was finally gone. Stan and Ben both plopped $10 into Bill’s hand.

       “Told you Eddie had it in him.”

          

 


End file.
